Hours after raping a woman in a London park, Derry McCann married his girlfriend, posting the images on social media. Photo / 123RF
Hours after raping a woman in a London park, Derry McCann married his girlfriend, posting the images on social media. Photo / 123RF
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A bridegroom has admitted a "sustained and systematic" rape on a stranger hours before he was due to marry his pregnant partner and just a year after being released from a life sentence.
His victim was "within sight" of her front door when Derry McCann, 28, launched his horrific, two-hour assault, in an east London park on January 13.
After the previous rape offence in 2006, a judge warned he posed a "significant risk of committing similar offences in the future".
On Thursday Snaresbrook Crown Court was told McCann played "mind games" after dragging the woman into the undergrowth - taunting her by asking what she thought he would do next.
Hours later, he tied the knot with his girlfriend, prosecutors said.
It is understood the teenage McCann was jailed in 2006 for carrying out a prolonged rape attack.
Serial sex attacker Derry McCann. Photo / Metropolitan Police
The defendant, of Hackney, east London, fixed his eyes on the ground as he pleaded guilty to three counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of robbery.
Honorary Recorder Martyn Zeidman told the rapist he had carried out a "terrible" crime and faced a "very, very long time" in prison.
Kate Bex, prosecuting, told the court the defendant was "recently released" from prison, adding: "The oldest conviction on Mr McCann's record might also be of some relevance".
McCann's "unusual"behaviour saw him also snatch the woman's mobile phone and bra, the court heard.
Bex said: "It was about midnight, just a little after, and the victim was walking a short distance home having been out to an art gallery, socialising with friends
"She was almost within sight of her own front door when she skirted round the side of the park on her usual route home.
"She avoided walking through the middle of it because that was too dangerous, she walked around the side, but unfortunately when near the exit of the park the defendant grabbed her arm and pulled her to one side.
"He began a sustained and systematic attack, penetration of each orifice accompanied by unusual conversation with the victim, best described as mind games in an attempt to control her.
"Asking the victim what she thought he was going to do to her before actually carrying out the acts.
"He behaved oddly in other respects in interacting with the victim concerning the condom he used when he penetrated and ejaculated."
Violent and prolonged attack
The recorder told him: "You have done the most terrible things and you will be going to prison, as you understand, for a very, very long time."
McCann will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on April 28.
Crown Prosecution Service London reviewing lawyer Andrew Held said: "This was a terrifying, violent and prolonged attack involving rapes committed by a man intent on inflicting fear and psychological suffering.
"The strong prosecution case which led to today's guilty pleas included victim testimony, an ID parade, CCTV footage, and bad character evidence based on a similar rape committed by McCann in 2006.
"I would like to thank McCann's victim for her courage in helping bring this prosecution and hope his conviction provides some sense of justice for her."
McCann had previously raped a trainee solicitor after telling a pal, "I'm going to have fun with this one", it emerged today.
McCann, who was tagged at the time for burglary, attacked the 30-year-old in a park with a pal in 2006.
The pair mugged the woman, but the friend left after 17-year-old McCann said: "I'm going to have fun with this one, and then I'm going to kill her."
McCann began his assault by biting her on the cheek before alternately beating and raping her.
During the prolonged assault he told her she was his girlfriend and he wanted her to have his child before saying he was going to chain her up in his basement where he kept other women.
Sentencing him at Inner London Crown Court in 2006, Judge Lindsay Burn said: "You will remain highly dangerous to women for an unforeseeable period into the future and you pose a significant risk of committing similar offences in the future if you are at liberty and your conduct will cause serious harm to other victims."
